Gondoline Oliphant

Gondoline Oliphant was a naturalist famous for studies of life and habits of trolls. Her interest in these dangerous beasts had a tragic end. While drawing sketches of trolls in the Cotswolds, the subjects of her sketches clubbed her to death.

Commentary

Etymology

Olifant (oliphant) was the name applied in the Middle Ages to ivory hunting horns made from elephants' tusks, and is an archaic form of the word 'elephant.' While trolls are not noted for having tusks, they are associated in some way with elephants in the form of the troll leg umbrella stand in the foyer of number 12, Grimmauld place. Traditionally, an umbrella stand of this kind would be made from the leg of an elephant.